


For You, I’ll Reconsider

by messandahalf



Series: Modern Day Romance [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arthur is clueless, Coming Out, First Kiss, First Meetings, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Good Morgana (Merlin), M/M, Merlin has a crush, Merlin helps Arthur discover himself, Strangers to Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23298184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/messandahalf/pseuds/messandahalf
Summary: After a lifetime of following his father’s orders, Arthur finally starts to think about what he wants his life to be. With the help of a new friend, he discovers things about himself that he never knew existed.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Modern Day Romance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1722964
Comments: 53
Kudos: 331





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I only just started watching the show about a week ago, having picked it to start binging to take my mind off of how crazy and terrifying the world has gotten recently. I have already fallen in love with Arthur and Merlin so I figured I’d give a fic a go. Please forgive me if this attempt falls a little flat!

Arthur looked down at the young lady clutching to his arm and smiled. It was a forced smile, but a smile nonetheless. She was a beautiful girl, anyone with eyes could see that. She was sweet, and funny, and definitely the kind of girl he could take home to meet his father. His father would love Gwen, that much he knew. He also knew that he too should love Gwen. Only he didn’t. This was their fifth date already, and he could tell that Gwen was getting quite smitten with him, but he didn’t return the feelings. He had tried to force it, of course, but it made no difference. He simply didn’t see her as a potential love interest.

As they reach the door to the small coffee shop, Arthur pulls it open and ushers Gwen inside. She blushes slightly at the action, more a display really, and ducks her head as she steps through. Any other man would have found her actions to be endearing, but once again, Arthur feels nothing. With a slight frown, he follows the girl inside. The small cafe is mostly empty, only a few college students huddled around a table together, notes spread before them. Arthur almost finds the lack of patrons around him comforting, though he can’t really place why.

“Good afternoon, how can I help you?” The barista behind the counter drones monotonously without looking up. He’s a little shorter than Arthur himself, with fairer skin and dark hair trapped messily under a hairnet and visor cap. When he does finally look up, Arthur sees big blue eyes. Big blue eyes that widen comically when they land on Arthur’s face. He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out, making his cheeks redden.

“Hi.” Gwen smiles sweetly, and not at all condescendingly, which is more than Arthur can say. He’s looking at the guy like he’s stupid. “I’ll just have a medium hot chocolate, please.” She orders politely. The barista, _Merlin_ as his nametag says, nods mutely and punches the order into the till. He then looks quite nervously at Arthur, who has to bite back a cocky smirk.

“I’ll have a large non-fat latte with caramel drizzle.” He says, deciding to go easy on the guy. Clearly it must be his first day. The guy looks surprised, eyebrows making a valiant effort to join his hairline. Arthur grits his teeth and offers a taut smile. He knows all too well what his father would say about such a coffee order, but he doesn’t care. Every other aspect of his life has to be so decidedly masculine, that he allows himself this one indulgence.

When Arthur stays committed to his order, the barista adds it to the till and rattles off the total in a shaky voice. Maybe he goes to school with Arthur. Being the natural born star of the football team tends to have this star-striking effect on people. The thought makes the man’s lips curl into yet another cocky grin. He’s never been one to shy away from having his ego boosted. However, before he can make a comment,  Merlin  bustles around, getting their drinks ready.Once they are, Gwen once again laces her arm through his and pulls him away. He finds that he’s actually kind of disappointed.

Gwen leads him to a table near the back corner, away from everyone else and rather secluded. Arthur’s heart pounds rather unpleasantly at the prospects of what sitting here meant. After all, they had been on five dates and he hadn’t even kissed her yet. He was playing it off as being respectful, but really, he just had no desire to kiss the girl.

“So, how have you classes been going?” Gwen asks before taking a sip from her ceramic mug. Arthur hums noncommittally, using the time to sip at his own drink. He’s surprised to find it tastes perfect.

“Good.” He replies, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at how mundane the conversation already is.

“That’s good.” Gwen replies with a smile. “Are you worried about exams coming up?” She adds, shooting him an inquisitive look. Arthur actually feels a jolt of guilt at how serious and interested the girl looks.

“Worried? Not at all.” He snorts, puffing out his chest slightly. “My father did up an entire revising schedule for me, and has made sure that I follow it down to the letter. I am more than prepared.” He continues to boast, doing his best to hide his irritation at his father still butting into his life when he’s technically considered an adult now.

“Well, that was nice of him.” Gwen comments across from him. “It must be nice to have your father so dedicated to watching and helping you succeed.” Her innocent comment almost makes Arthur seethe, but he manages to refrain from snapping at her. It’s not her fault that his father is a rather touchy subject for him.

“Yes. It definitely keeps me on track.” He says instead, giving her another forced smile. She smiles back, only hers is a genuine one. Not for the first time, Arthur finds himself wishing he could just make himself like this girl. How much easier his life would be if he could. For once, his father would stop hounding him about finding the right woman and settling down.

Their date passes amicably, and Arthur is both looking forward to it ending and dreading it entirely. Five dates is long enough. He will either have to let her down by telling her that he just isn’t interested, or he will have to settle and give her that kiss she’s been so patiently waiting for. He can’t decide which is the lesser of two evils. As the date draws to a close, Arthur starts sweating. He has about ten minutes to figure out what to do. As they make their way to the garbage bins and leave their mugs in the tray sitting above, he still has no idea. As they push their way out of the main doors, he still has no idea. As they make their way to the bus stop, he still has no freakin’ idea.

“I had a really good time, Arthur.” Gwen says earnestly, looking up hopefully into his face. Arthur’s heart is threatening to beat right out of his chest.  _He still has no idea what to do._

“Me too, Gwen.” He hears himself say. “You truly are great company.” Gwen smiles sweetly at his words and dares to step a little closer to him.

“Am I going to see you again?” She asks softly, innocently, just as she has every other time. A frog sticks in Arthur’s throat, and he finds himself unable to breath, let alone actually give her an answer. He makes a quiet, strangled off, choking noice, and has to clear his throat, smiling apologetically down at her.

“Gwen, please believe me when I say that I have enjoyed spending time with you.” His mouth blurts out without consulting with his brain first. Gwen’s eyes widen. “However, I...” Arthur’s sentence drags off unfinished once his mind finally catches up and stops his mouth from saying something potentially stupid.

“This is the last tine we’ll be seeing each other, isn’t it?” Gwen asks sadly, easily reading into what Arthur was about to say. He opens and closes his mouth silently, very reminiscent of a fish, before finally just snapping it closed and nodding. “May I ask why?” She asks. Arthur flounders for an answer.

“I, uhm...” He frowns and looks down at their feet, hoping to find the answer there in the pavement. “I just don’t feel anything more than potential, platonic friendship with you, and I don’t want to lead you on. You have a heart of gold, Gwen, and I don’t want to hurt you any more than necessary.” He finishes up with a sad, apologetic smile, but it falls from his face pretty quickly when he sees unshed tears in Gwen’s eyes.

“That’s okay. You can’t force your heart to feel something that it simply doesn’t want to. Thank you for being honest with me. Your heart will find that special someone, don’t worry. If you want, though, I would be more than happy to continue from here as your friend.” Gwen’s sincere words have Arthur staring down at her in shock, and at a loss for words himself.

“Gwen, that is... very kind. I’m not sure what I did to deserve it, or how to respond.” He finally manages to get out. Gwen smiles kindly back.

“You’re a good person, Arthur.” She says. “I’m not going to let your lack of reciprocated interest stop me from potentially gaining a new friend. Think about it and let me know.” She adds on, standing on her tip-toes to press a quick kiss to his cheek. She gives him one last smile before her bus pulls up to the stop and she climbs aboard. He sees her wave through the window and waves back. The bus is out of view before Arthur makes a move to return to his own car in the adjacent lot. This late in the afternoon, it’s one of the only ones left.

His mind is miles away as he slips behind the wheel and closes the door firmly. He gets a flash of blue eyes fringed by dark hair as he buckles his seatbelt and starts the car. He quickly shakes those thoughts away as he starts to move toward the parking lot exit. He makes sure to keep all intrusive thoughts at bay as best he can as he starts to make his way home.

Traffic is light and he pulls up outside his house before too long. He clambers out of the car, locking it carelessly as he makes his way up the front walk to the door. There are lights on inside, so either his father or his sister are home. As he twists the house key in the lock and pushes the door open, his ears get assaulted by the worst Top 40 pop music possible. Definitely his sister.

“Hey, Blondie!” Morgana calls as he closes the door behind himself. He frowns and looks up at her. She’s leaning over the second floor balcony in the way that their father is always getting after her for.

“Morgana.” He says flatly. She looks him over for a moment before she starts to laugh, dark curls bobbing as she struggles to regain her composure.

“Did your date not go well?” She pries, trying her best to appear innocent. Arthur knows better than to fall for that.

“My date went fine, Morgana. Thank you for asking.” He replies snippily, really not wanting to get into this with her.

“I sincerely doubt that.” Morgana says, smile evident in her voice. “You look like the world’s mopiest puppy.” She adds on with a chuckle of glee. The two of them are the same age, Arthur’s father having officially adopted her when her parents passed over ten years ago. They were quite close growing up, which was great in a way, but tended to drift over into teasing territory on an overly alarming basis as of late.

“Morgana.” Arthur finally sighs, lifting a weary hand to scrub at his face. He hears footsteps navigating down the stairs and his heart sinks. There really is no escape for him.

“Arthur.” He hears her voice directly in front of him. “What happened?” She pauses for a moment before adding, “And tell the truth. I happen to know when you’re lying, and I just want to help. You really do look rather miserable.” Arthur digs his fingertips into his temple for a moment before dropping his hand with a huff.

“Nothing, Morgana.” He says. “Nothing happened. That’s the truth, and that’s also kind of the problem.” He shifts his eyes to the wall, refusing to look at her as he bears his problems.

“You mean she rejected you?” Morgana asks hesitantly. Arthur laughs, a rather humourless sound.

“No.” He corrects. “I rejected her. I told her that she was a great person, but that I didn’t want to lead her on when I harboured no romantic feelings for her.” As he finishes talking, he finally dares to look at Morgana’s face. To his surprise, she looks totally sympathetic and sincere. No hint of teasing in her unusually solemn eyes.

“Oh, Arthur, that’s the fourth one now.” She says. “What are you going to tell your father? You know he’s been asking me about your love life more often than I’d really care for.” She adds on bitterly. Arthur looks at her helplessly, opening his mouth to say something, but closing it again when nothing comes to mind immediately.

“I don’t know.” He finally breathes. “I mean, clearly I just haven’t met the right woman yet, but he seems rather invested in me getting married sooner rather than later. It’s hard when I just don’t...  _feel_ anything for the various girls I’ve been around.” He frowns down at the floor. “I don’t know how to explain that to him without him trying to get involved.” He bites out, getting frustrated.

Silence reigns over the pair, stretching on until Arthur gets suspicious and tries to study his sister’s face. His scrutiny doesn’t unearth much. Morgana has always been well-schooled in the art of keeping her facial expressions coolly impassive. Her eyes, though, shift wearily as he meets them dead on.

“What is it, Morgana?” He asks hesitantly, not entirely sure that he wants to know the answer. Morgana surveys him silently for another moment before taking a deep breath to steel her nerves.

“Perhaps,” she starts, “it’s time you stopped to really reflect upon who you really are, Arthur.” She suggests. Arthur scrunches up his face in utter confusion.

“What on Earth do you mean, Morgana?” He asks, once again not entirely sure that he wants the answer. He watches as his sister shifts uncertainly from foot to foot in front of him.

“I’m merely suggesting,” she answers gently, “that perhaps the issue isn’t with the girls. As you’ve said, they are all pleasant and nice enough company, you just never seem to feel anything for them.” Arthur glares at her.

“So you’re saying the problem is me?” He bites, eyes flashing warningly. Morgana hurries to correct her statement.

“Not a problem, per se, Arthur. More you’re just not into them for a reason. Maybe you’ve never liked girls to begin with because they’re not what you truly want.” She rushes out. “And that’s not a problem, Arthur. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.” She adds on vehemently. Arthur stares at her in confusion for a moment before her words register fully in his brain. His mind grinds to a halt as the words fills his head.

“Are you saying that you think I’m  _gay_ ?” He splutters out incredulously. He’s too shocked to even think about getting mad or defensive at the accusation.

“I’m not saying anything. I’m only suggesting that maybe it’s time for you to figure out who you are and who you want to be, not who your father wants you to be. Arthur, you are old enough to make your own decisions. You don’t have to follow his plan, and do everything he wants or expects you to do. Become your own person!”

Arthur stares at Morgana mutely, mouth hanging open just enough to make him look rather stupid. He can’t help it, though. Morgana has always pushed the boundaries set by Uther, constantly challenging him and refusing to fit into the preset mould he had created for her. Arthur, on the other hand, tried to please his father at every turn. He took every opportunity available to him to make his father proud. He had never once questioned Uther’s plans for his future. Never once thought about what he wanted for himself instead. The sound of a car pulling into the driveway brings Arthur back to the present.

“Just think about it, Arthur.” Morgana pleads before sweeping off back up the stairs. By the time the front door opens behind him, the loud music has faded to a dull noise in the background.

“Ah, Arthur!” His father greets. “How were your classes today?” Arthur almost scoffs at the question. All his father ever asks him anymore is how his schooling is going, and what grades he has received in various classes. He plasters on a fake smile and turns to face the rather imposing man. He’s suddenly reminded why he always just falls into line without a fight.

“Good, Father.” He says evenly. “I have stayed on track with your revision schedule, and managed to fit in a few extra minutes of studying in class. Not many professors are assigning any work this close to exams.” His father nods approvingly at his words, but the gesture fails to create the feeling of pride that it did merely yesterday. Morgana’s words are really getting to his head.

“Excellent, Arthur. Now, if I remember correctly, you are slotted to revise Analytics tonight. Better get to it.” His father dismisses him without another look. Arthur glares at Uther’s retreating back, silently fuming over the fact that his father still plans his entire days out as if he were a child. Damn Morgana and her rebellious words.

“Of course.” Arthur says to the empty entry way. As he trudges up the stairs, he hears a door open above him. Looking up, he meets Morgana’s sad eyes.

“I mean it, Arthur.” She whisper-yells as he gets close enough to hear her. “He treats you as if he owns you, it’s appalling.” She glances at the stairs, a hint of worry, or even fear, settling into her usually defiant eyes. If Uther heard them talking like this, there would be hell to pay. For both of them.

“Leave it alone.” Arthur warns as he walks past her room on his way to his own down the hall. He can feel her eyes burning into his back all the way to his bedroom door. He refuses to look back at her, even as he twists the knob and pushes the door open. He doesn’t relax until it’s closed solidly behind him.

With an exhausted groan, he stumbles to his bed and collapses face down on the soft mattress. There are too many things swirling through his head for him to even be able to think about doing any revision. Still, if his father comes up and finds him without his books out, he’ll be in for one terrible lecture. Wanting to avoid the drama, he dutifully pulls his books from his bag and spreads them out over his desk. He sinks down into the plush desk chair and proceeds to stare unseeingly at his notes.

Now that he has a moment of peace and quiet, blue eyes and dark hair once again rise up to the fore-front of his mind. He squeezes his eyes closed and groans, really not wanting to deal with the unwanted thoughts. And yet, the more his mind stubbornly sticks to said thoughts, the more he realizes how adorable the bumbling barista has kind of been.

“Oh, no.” He mutters out loud, scolding his betraying mind. “We are not going there. Not now, not ever.” He growls to himself. He doesn’t even want to  _think_ about what his father would say or do if he decided he liked boys. He really doesn’t want to find out, so he resolutely looks down at his notes. Forcing himself to at least half pay attention, he manages to get through most of his notes before he deems it a lost cause. His father doesn’t have to know that he slacked off during his Analytics revision. As he packs up his things, he once again thinks of blue eyes and dark hair.


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur struggles to fall asleep, tossing and turning fitfully until the early hours of the morning. Consequently, he manages to sleep through his alarm, resulting in a blind panic once he’s finally awake enough to know what happened. He hurries around his room like a man possessed as he scrambles to get ready. Thankfully, his father leaves early for work and is not around to witness his blunder.

He rushes to school, foregoing breakfast, and even coffee, in his hurry to get to campus. Naturally, luck is not on his side, and the only parking spot he can find is way on the opposite side of campus from the building he needs. Cursing up a storm under his breath, he locks his car, slings his bag over his shoulder, and starts making his way across campus as fast as he safely can. He knows that it doesn’t matter all that much, he’s already late. This close to exams they’re probably not doing much in class anyway besides studying. Still, he’s never missed a class in his life.

In his rush, he’s not fully taking in his surroundings, and so misses the student approaching from his right and about to cross his path. He doesn’t notice until they’re actually colliding. They drop to the sidewalk in a tangle of limbs, bags scattering around them. Arthur lies still for a moment, brain hurrying to catch up with what happened. He groans as the weight on top of him shifts and he gets an elbow to the ribs.

“Sorry.” The familiar voice mumbles. “Wasn’t really watching where I was going.” Arthur snaps his eyes up to the other man as he slowly picks himself up, using Arthur’s shoulder as leverage to regain his balance at one point. Arthur grunts at the pressure, hands instinctively reaching out to steady the man’s hips.

“It’s fine.” Arthur finds himself replying, as he too slowly gets to his feet. He starts to dust himself off, eyes taking in his thankfully closed bag. “I wasn’t paying attention either.”

He gets nothing but a badly muffled snort of laughter in reply as the other man stoops to retrieve his bag. Thankfully, it too was securely zippered closed. When he finally stands up straight again, and Arthur gets a good look at his face, Arthur chokes on air. Looking back at him are the very same eyes that have plagued him since he first saw them behind the cafe counter yesterday.

“You!” He splutters unintelligently, pointing at the man’s chest. Just as they had yesterday, the other man’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline.

“Me, what?” He asks, looking over his shoulder quickly to make sure that Arthur was still talking to him. Arthur continues to blatantly stare at him.

“You’re the barista from the coffee shop yesterday. What was your name?” Arthur pauses and snaps his fingers several times in succession. “Merlin!” He finally cries triumphantly. He watches as his companion’s face shifts from confusion to shock.

“Yes, I’m Merlin, and yes, I was the barista from yesterday. I’m surprised you recognized or even remembered me.” Merlin admits in a daze. Arthur’s mouth opens, ready to blurt out that he never forgets a pretty face, but manages to stop himself before he can. Seriously, where did that even come from?

“Well, you remembered me!” Arthur argues, smiling in satisfaction. That quickly crumbles when Merlin rolls his eyes.

“Of course I remembered you. Everyone that goes here knows who Arthur Pendragon is. People call you the Crown Prince of the school.” Merlin explains, talking slow as if he thinks that Arthur is thick and therefore won’t understand otherwise. Arthur flushes in indignation.

“They do not.” He scoffs. When Merlin merely quirks a rather pointed eyebrow, he huffs in annoyance. “Okay, fine. Maybe they do. It’s not like I ask them to.” To his horror, his cheeks are now flushing red in embarrassment, the colour spreading to his ears and down his neck.

“Well, you don’t exactly ask them to stop.” Merlin mutters under his breath, but making sure he’s loud enough that Arthur catches every word.

“You know that I can hear you.” He grouches unnecessarily.

“What do you want, a medal?” Merlin sasses back, flashing him a cheeky grin when Arthur’s mouth drops open in shock.

“You are unlike anyone I have ever met.” Arthur accidentally thinks out loud. He can’t bring himself to feel embarrassed though as he studies the dark haired man before him in fascination. Merlin flushes a little pink at the scrutiny, but otherwise manages to stay poised. He shrugs slightly in reply.

“What are people usually like when you meet them?” He asks. Arthur stares at him for a moment before his cocky smirk slips back into place.

“More like the fumbling mess you became upon seeing me at the coffee shop yesterday.” This comment does get Merlin to blush ferociously, and Arthur gives himself a mental pat on the back. He refuses to acknowledge the fact that Merlin looks kind of adorable like that, all flushed red and staring bashfully down at his feet. He definitely _does not_ entertain those thoughts in the slightest.

“Yeah, well, when the local celebrity shows up out of nowhere, you tend to get a little flustered. I can assure you that it won’t happen again.” Merlin replies easily with the hint of a smirk curling the right side of his mouth up. Arthur actually throws his head back at that and laughs. Once he’s recovered enough to speak again, he settles amused eyes on Merlin.

“Is that a challenge?” He asks. “Cause I certainly don’t mind trying to make you all flustered again.” He says without thinking. He takes an involuntary step closer, eyes fixed on Merlin’s face. Only when Merlin’s eyes widen in surprise does Arthur realize what he’s doing and halts his movements. He drops his eyes and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

The two of them lapse into silence, neither one really sure what to say to the other. Arthur finally bends to grab his bag, heart sinking as he realizes that he is good and late now. The point of heading to class anymore is practically non-existent. He closes his eyes and groans. When he reopens them, Merlin is staring at him questionably.

“What? You late meeting your girlfriend?” Merlin asks, and Arthur catches a hint of something resembling bitterness in his tone.

“No. I’m late for class. Really late.” Arthur corrects. Then, he adds on, “I don’t have a girlfriend.” Even as the words tumble past his lips, he has no idea why he felt the need to clarify that particular point. Merlin bites his lower lip and nods thoughtfully.

“What class were you supposed to be in?” He eventually asks, completely ignoring Arthur’s comment on being single. Arthur isn’t sure if he is relieved or annoyed.

“Business Communications.” Arthur replies sulkily, wrinkling his nose in distaste. When his father agreed to pay for all of Arthur’s schooling, it was under the condition that he also get to pick what Arthur took. He’s pulled from his thoughts as Merlin’s face lights up with a sunny smile.

“Well, you’re in luck. If you needed help reviewing for your exam, I can help you.” He offers, face still lit up with excitement, but eyes now turning hesitant. Arthur snorts. He can’t help it.

“You?” He asks. “You take Business Communications? I’ve never seen you in that class before.” He narrows his eyes suspiciously as Merlin rolls his.

“First of all,” Merlin starts, “I really don’t think you would even notice if I was in your classes or not. It just so happens that I am not in that particular class, which brings me to my second point. I do have an _in_ , in that class.” He finishes proudly. Arthur stares at him blankly.

“An _in_?” He asks. Merlin nods. “Ok, I’ll bite. What _in_ is this exactly?” He asks through a weary sigh. Merlin smirks.

“My mother is the teacher and sometimes she gets me to help her grade some of the assignments, seeing as I’m an English major and can pick out the ones with atrocious grammar so she never has to look at them.” He pauses for a moment, looking around them carefully. “But no one is supposed to know that. She’d kill me if she ever found out I told you, so maybe don’t mention it to anyone.” Merlin’s eyes are pleading as he stares at Arthur, and Arthur feels himself almost getting lost in them. He manages to tear his eyes away before he can, nodding down at their shoes.

“Uhm, that would be great, Merlin. Thank you.” He risks another glance up at Merlin’s face and offers him a soft smile. “I promise not to tell anyone that you help your mother cheat.” He can barely keep a straight face as he says it. Merlin immediately looks scandalized.

“It is not cheating.” He retorts, voice sounding incensed. “It’s helping.” He adds firmly. Arthur nods with a barely contained smile. “Now come on, do you want help or not?” Arthur let’s his smile slip past his defences.

“I already told you yes, idiot.” He chides gently. Merlin’s face morphs through several different emotions before settling on resigned.

“Right. Well, come on then. We’ll need to find somewhere a little more secluded to study. I don’t want my mother getting into any trouble.” Merlin turns and starts heading back the way he came. Arthur hurries to follow, heart pounding at the thought of being secluded with Merlin. Being alone with his guy he really only just met makes his stomach curl in a way that’s completely different than the feeling he got with Gwen yesterday. He promptly ignores said feelings.

It turns out that _secluded_ is a solitary picnic bench on the far West side of the sprawling campus. Arthur didn’t even know it existed, so he guesses that it must be safe enough. Merlin makes his way to the table, setting his things down with a sort of familiarity that makes Arthur guess that he comes here quite often. He doesn’t think about the implications of that. How it means that Merlin could potentially be a very lonely person. Merlin glances up at him quizzically when he lingers for a little too long, and he flushes slightly as he hurries to follow. He sinks down onto the bench across from Merlin, and pointedly doesn’t look at him as he pulls his books from his bag.

“So.” Merlin says, looking up into Arthur’s face. “What did you want to go over?” Arthur pulls his pre-made revising schedule out and looks it over.

“My father wants me to—“ He doesn’t get to finish his sentence.

“I didn’t ask what your father wants.” Merlin interrupts. “I asked what _you_ want to review. You know more about what you need to go over than your father does.” Silence descends upon them as Arthur stares at Merlin in surprise. That’s been happening a lot lately.

“I—“ Arthur starts, then stops. “No one has ever really asked me that before.” He admits, cheeks blushing red at the truth that he hadn’t meant to voice out loud. Merlin screws his face up, nose scrunching in confusion.

“No one has ever asked you what you wanted?” He asks. Arthur cocks his head in thought.

“No. Well, yes, but that’s not what I meant.” Arthur replies. “Whenever I say that my father wants me to do something, people don’t question it. They never stop to wonder if that’s truly what I want too. No one but you.” He looks at Merlin thoughtfully, then adds, “And my sister, but she doesn’t really count.” He’s trying really hard to _not_ think of Morgana and her words from yesterday.

“Well that’s just a load of rubbish.” Merlin scoffs. “Last I checked, it’s your life, not his.” He shrugs, stopping the conversation briefly to pull various books and notebooks from his bag. He arranges them haphazardly in front of him, then looks up at Arthur expectantly.

Arthur’s head is buzzing. He’s not entirely sure what to do with this conversation. It’s only just started and it already feels like it’s flown right off the rails.

“I think,” Arthur starts slowly, “I want to skip studying in general.” His words surprise him, but Merlin doesn’t even blink. In fact, he actually smiles.

“If that’s what you want, then we can definitely do that. On one condition.” Merlin states calmly. Arthur raises an eyebrow. “That you promise me that not studying isn’t going to affect your exam grade. I refuse to be an accomplice in you failing my mother’s class.” Merlin says this all with such a straight face that Arthur lets out rather unattractive snort of laughter.

“I never realized how important my education was to other people.” Arthur muses, eyes glinting with amusement. Merlin struggles to bite back his own smile.

“Oh, trust me, I don’t care. I only want to avoid the lecture I will get if my mother finds out that I was distracting one of her students.” Merlin’s mask slips near the end of his sentence and his smile shines through. Arthur finds himself grinning back.

“In that case, I, Arthur Pendragon, promise that I will not fail my upcoming exam.” He states solemnly, lifting his right hand up to cover his heart. He quickly ducks, lifting both hands to cover his head as Merlin chucks a pen at him. They both dissolve into laughter, an easy atmosphere wrapping around them both. Arthur notes that it kind of feels like a warm hug. Well, it feels like he would imagine a warm hug would feel. He honestly doesn’t have any experience with those.

The pair quickly get lost in their own world, talking about anything and everything. Arthur learns that Merlin is an only child, that his best friend is Will (who unfortunately doesn’t attend college here but on the other side of the country), and that Merlin one day dreams of being a writer. He wants to write novels about magic, and knights, and all things fanciful like that. Arthur in turn tells Merlin about Morgana, and how she came to be his sister. He also lets slip how his father has planned his whole future for him from practically the moment he was born. He goes emotionless as he explains how his mother died shortly after he was born. Before he really knows what’s happening, he’s missed his entire morning of classes.

“Shit.” Arthur mumbles as he checks the time. Missing one class could fairly easily be hidden from his father. The whole morning was a different story entirely. “I had better go.” He adds apologetically.

“Of course.” Merlin rushes to say. “I’m sorry I distracted you. It’s my fault you missed your classes.” He says, flushing pink slightly. Arthur pauses in his hurry to pack up his things, and meets Merlin’s eyes.

“No. Don’t apologize. I had every opportunity to leave, and I didn’t.” He tells him sincerely. “I enjoyed talking with you, Merlin, and I hope we can again.” He scrambles for a pen, making a soft sound of victory as he finally finds one. Ripping a sheet of paper from his notebook, he scribbles his number down hastily, then pushes it across the picnic table to Merlin.

“My number.” He supplies uselessly. “In case, you know, you ever wanted to hang out.” His heart is ponding in his chest, roaring in his ears, as Merlin reaches out slightly shaky hands to scoop the sheet of paper up off the wooden table. Their gazes lock as Merlin finally looks up, and Arthur notices the pink dusting across his cheekbones.

“Thank you.” Merlin says softly, eyes lighting up as he smiles shyly at Arthur. Arthur clears his throat, completely turning his mind off as he continues to pack his bag on autopilot. Once he’s finished, he slings it over his shoulder and prepares to leave.

“I’ll keep an eye out for a text, then?” He says, the words coming out more like a question than a statement.

“Of course.” Merlin agrees, ducking his head down as his blush deepens. Something deep in Arthur’s chest stirs at the sight, but he steadfastly ignores the feeling.

“Perfect. Thank you, Merlin, for spending time with me.” He says, mouth once again blurting out words without his brain’s permission. He looks away to hide his impending embarrassment. “I’ll talk to you later.” He rushes out before quickly taking hurried steps back toward where is car ended up parked.

His mind is a mess as he makes his way through the afternoon sunshine. His thoughts keep drifting back to those blue eyes he left behind, but he continues to shake them away. He won’t let himself go there. _He can’t_. He blinks in surprise as his car suddenly takes up most of his view. He only had classes this morning, so he must have made the entire trek back to the car without even noticing. Which is how he had literally run into Merlin earlier.

His body betrays him at the conscious thought of the other man, his stomach fluttering slightly as his chest warms. He frowns at himself, avoiding his reflection in the car windows, as he pushes the thoughts aside yet again and unlocks the doors. He slides in behind the wheel, pausing to take a deep, fortifying breath before slamming the door closed and starting the engine. His mind soon drifts to his other problem as he starts home.

There is a very small chance that the school had phoned Uther to inform him that Arthur hadn’t attended any classes today. That being said, that doesn’t mean that his father won’t find out, and if he does... Arthur physically shudders to think of the consequences. His mind is jumping from one plan to the next so sporadically that he’s parking in front of his house without even realizing that he was home.

“Shit.” He curses under his breath again, gripping the steering wheel tight and leaning forward to rest his head against it. He has no idea what to do. His best bet is to play it cool, and lie through his teeth as best he can. With his face set grimly, he climbs from his car and makes his way up to the door. Thankfully, no one is home yet, so he can scamper up to his room and close himself in without raising suspicions.

He drops his bag by his desk, moving further into his room to sink down onto his bed. He sighs softly, staring up at the ceiling. Before his thoughts can start to drift his phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out and looks at the screen.

**_From: Unknown, 1:47 PM_ **  
_Hey Arthur, it’s Merlin._

Arthur feels himself smile as he unlocks his phone and brings the text up on the screen. He wastes no time in quickly adding the number to his contact list, smile turning soft and small as _Unknown_ changes to _Merlin_. He chews on his lip for a moment as he debates on how to answer. Deciding simple is best, he quickly types out a reply and hits send.

_**To: Merlin, 1:50 PM**  
Hello Merlin_


	3. Chapter 3

It’s been two weeks since Arthur and Merlin had their first real conversation. Fourteen whole days of non-stop texting, meeting up for coffee when they could, and the occasional phone call when they couldn’t. Arthur honestly can’t remember the last time he was this content. He’d actually go so far as to say that he was happy. This hasn’t gone unnoticed, though. His father, Morgana, and his friends have all been badgering him non-stop, asking him what had happened, if he met someone, or if he’s simply walking around drunk all day. He never tells anyone the truth, except Gwen, whom he got in contact with and taken her up on her offer.

Gwen was just as sweet as a friend as she had been as a date. She was a great listener, and sat silently through many rants Arthur had about how confused he was. Those annoying feelings he had been ignoring, and hoping would go away, were only becoming more prominent with every text he shared with Merlin, and he was terrified. Deep down, he knew what they meant, he was just too scared to accept them yet.

Arthur was in the middle of a full blown panic when Merlin had phoned and made it all worse. Arthur watched his phone ring until it went to voicemail, then grabbed his phone and texted Gwen, asking if she was available. Thankfully, she had said yes, and fifteen minutes later, they were in their back corner at the coffee shop. Arthur only agreed to the location because he knew that Merlin had the day off.

“Arthur,” Gwen says gently once there is a lull in his monologue, “I really think you’re overthinking things”. She doesn’t say it condescendingly, just gently and matter of factly. Arthur chews on his thumbnail.

“I don’t know. Probably. I mean, I’m terrible at this kind of stuff.” He says morosely. Gwen gives him a look and smiles gently. She lays a hand over his arm on the table and squeezes gently.

“No, you’re not. Romance is romance. It doesn’t matter who it’s with. Taking a boy on a date and treating him well is no different than taking a girl on a date, and you did that just fine.” Her words do little to soothe his quickly fraying nerves.

“Then why does it feel different?” He asks quietly, making sure to keep his voice down so the group of teenagers that just walked in won’t hear him.

“Because it’s new.” Gwen shrugs, ripping a piece off her chocolate muffin and popping it into her mouth. “Because all you’re life all you’ve ever been told or shown is all the homophobic propaganda floating around.” Her tone is bitter as she rips another mouthful of muffin off with more force than necessary. Arthur flinches at her words. She notices, of course she does, and settles her hand back on his arm. “Seriously, there is nothing wrong with this, or you.”

She lapses into silence as she continues eating her muffin. Arthur takes the pause in conversation to go over her words. He drops his hand from his mouth and twines his fingers together on the table top. His mind is running a million miles a minute, and it’s starting to give him a headache.

“What should I do, Gwen?” He asks miserably. She looks up at him and her face softens.

“I can’t tell you that. It has to be what you want, and only you truly know that.” She replies. Arthur frowns, expecting that answer.

“Well then, what would you do?” He rephrases the question. There’s a minute or so of silence as Gwen ponders the question.

“From what you’ve told me, you obviously care for him, even if only in a friendly way. I’ve seen the look on your face when you mention his name, though. If I were you, I’d go for it. If your friendship is as solid as you hope it is, something like this won’t ruin it.” She tells him. He pales slightly, not sure if he was hoping for that answer or not.

“And if our friendship isn’t strong enough?” He asks tentatively. “What if I say something and he leaves?”

“Then he was never good enough to be your friend in the first place.” She states firmly. He smiles at her, but it feels like it comes across as more of a grimace instead. Either way, she chuckles and pats his arm fondly. “You’ll be fine, Arthur. When are you planning on seeing him again?” Arthur fidgets slightly in his seat.

“Tonight, actually.” He replies. “The guys are all going out for end of exams celebratory drinks. I was going to invite him.” Gwen nods thoughtfully.

“I definitely don’t recommend going after him while you’re drunk, it’ll send the wrong message, but a drink or two could help loosen you up enough to have the courage to make a move.” Arthur suddenly feels like he can’t really breathe. “If it all falls apart, you can always blame it on a dare from your friends.” She adds with a wink. Her comment does the trick, making Arthur laugh despite himself.

“Thank you, Gwen.” His voice is soft and quiet as he leans over to pull her into a hug. She readily hugs him back, taking the moment to ruffle his hair affectionately. He gasps and slaps her hand away, joining in as she laughs.

“Anything for the new princess in my life.” She teases. He shoots her a playful glare, but it falls flat when he chuckles a few moment later. He opens his mouth to say something else when his phone buzzes on the table. He glances down, and his heart somersaults when he sees Merlin’s name.

 _**From: Merlin, 12:07 PM  
** _ _Hey, you wanted to know if I was busy tonight?_

Arthur blushes slightly when Gwen gives him a knowing look. He starts to apologize, but Gwen just waves him off, busying herself with her own phone. He shoots a grateful smile her way before unlocking his phone to reply to his friend, or whatever he was.

 _**To: Merlin, 12:08 PM  
** _ _Yes. A group of us are going out for drinks tonight since exams are now over. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?_

He hits send and chews on his lip uncertainly. Pubs and parties aren’t exactly Merlin’s scene. He prefers bookstores, and drinking coffee late at night with a good book. Still, he’s hoping Merlin agrees. He really wants to see him tonight, and doesn’t want to have to bail on his friends to do so. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to wait long for a reply.

 _**From: Merlin, 12:09 PM  
** _ _I don’t know. I don’t really go to pubs much._

Arthur bites back his disappointment. It’s not a _no_ yet. He just has to try a little harder.

_**To: Merlin, 12:10 PM**  
Please???_

He snorts as he hits send, knowing without even seeing his face that Merlin is going to roll his eyes. Gwen looks at him knowingly, smiling to herself when Arthur’s eyes remain fixed on his phone screen. Anyone with eyes can see how taken with Merlin he is. He just hasn’t admitted it to himself yet.

 _**From: Merlin, 12:12 PM  
** _ _Fine, but I’m not getting drunk and I’m not staying out all night._

Arthur grins victoriously, stomach fluttering like mad.

 _**To: Merlin, 12:12 PM  
** _ _Deal. Do you need me to pick you up?_

He sets his phone back down on the table and grins openly at Gwen. She smiles back, feeling the excitement rolling off him in waves. His phone goes off again, and Arthur quickly snatches it up.

 _**From: Merlin, 12:13 PM  
** _ _Sure. Had you wanted to go out for coffee first? I’m going to need the caffeine if I’m going to be staying up past my usual bedtime._

Arthur laughs, but happily tells him sure, and to text him whenever he wanted to meet up. He sets his phone down again and looks at his companion. He hesitates as he goes to speak, and she somehow picks up on it. Reaching out, she takes his left hand into both of her much smaller ones.

“You don’t need to be afraid of this. Don’t run away from something potentially amazing because it scares you. The best things often do. Just follow your heart, not your head, and I know you’ll be fine.” She tells him gently. He gives her a shaky, uncertain smile and nods.

“I’ll do my best. Thank you.” He says, tone matching hers. They both get to their feet and Gwen pulls him into a surprisingly strong hug.

“You’ll be fine. I know you will. You had better text me every detail in the morning.” She warns as she pulls away. Arthur pulls a face, but nods all the same. “I mean it, Arthur Pendragon. I want every detail. I don’t care how raunchy it is.” She’s giggling by the time she finishes her sentence, while Arthur is as red as he’s ever been.

They leave the shop shortly after, pausing for one final hug outside before they part ways. Gwen heads away on foot, assuring Arthur that she’ll be fine. She has to go get groceries anyway, and her father was going to pick her up there. Arthur is reluctant to let her go off by herself, but Gwen just waves and walks away. Arthur watches helplessly for a moment before resigning himself to the fact that he’ll never be able to change her mind, and heads to his car parked up the road. His phone is still suspiciously quiet when he reaches it, and he tries not to think too much into it.

He refuses to acknowledge his still silent phone all the way home. He debates merely plugging it in and walking away, but decides against it. Surely there is an entirely plausible reason for Merlin’s silence. He practically sags with relief as his phone goes off as he’s stepping into his room. Wrestling it from his pocket, he smiles as he catches sight of Merlin’s name on the screen.

“Hello, Merlin.” He greets after swiping to answer the call. “Finally decided to stop ignoring me, have you?” His grin widens as he hears Merlin scoff.

 _“If I wanted to ignore you, it would be for longer than twenty minutes.”_ Merlin counters easily. _“No, Will phoned. He has absolutely atrocious timing.”_ Despite his complaints, Arthur can hear Merlin’s smile even over the phone. _“Anyway, had you wanted to meet up earlier?”_ Merlin’s unsaid _‘I miss you’_ hangs in the air.

“Sure.” Arthur says, once again without thinking. “What about dinner first? We could meet at five or so. Just tell me where to go.” Arthur blushes hotly, and is very happy that Merlin isn’t around to tease him for it. He can’t help it, though, as his brain had immediately supplied him with the fact that he had basically just asked Merlin on a date.

 _“Sure.”_ Merlin agrees quickly, somehow having picked up on Arthur’s panic despite being somewhere else. _“How about that Greek place down the road from campus that you secretly love but pretend you don’t?”_ He suggests, tone teasing. Arthur glares at his bedroom wall.

“Shut up, Merlin. I’ll see you there at five.” He hangs up as Merlin starts to laugh. Arthur checks the time, groaning when he sees that it’s only just after 12:30. With a sigh, he plugs his phone in, then grabs a change of clothes. His heart is racing as he heads down the hall to the bathroom to shower.

~~~

The afternoon drags by, but eventually it’s late enough for him to leave to meet Merlin. Morgana gives him a significant look, which he chooses to ignore, and shouts a _‘good luck’_ at his retreating back as he slips out the front door. He’s still cursing her as he climbs into his car red-faced. Traffic is slow, and he grows antsier the closer to the restaurant he gets. He and Merlin had been out for coffee, and even lunch, on numerous occasions, but dinner was new. It felt different. More important. Like it meant something more. He’s shaking by the time he parks and climbs out of his car.

The restaurant is relatively busy, and he’s suddenly happy that he had the fore-thought to call ahead to make a reservation. He gets a sunny smile from the blonde waitress as he pushes inside. He smiles shakily back, nerves on edge and stomach twisting.

“Hi. Reservation for Pendragon?” He says, fighting off a blush as it comes out more like a question. His embarrassment is soon forgotten, instead replaced by puzzlement as she gives him a wolfish grin.

“Ah, yes. Your date is here already. Right this way.” He opens his mouth to correct her, to tell her that this _isn’t_ a date and they are merely _friends_ , but he doesn’t get the chance. She’s already turning and waving through the crowded tables, and it’s all he can do to force his legs to move and follow her. She stops at a booth in the back corner and grins again. “Here you are. Your waitress will be with you shortly.” Then she’s gone.

Arthur stares at her retreating back open mouthed. What the hell had just happened? He gets pulled back to the present by a badly stifled snort from behind him. Whirling around, he sees Merlin curled into the far corner of the booth, eyes twinkling with amusement, and hand covering the smile that was no doubt gracing his mouth.

“Oh, shut up, Merlin.” Arthur grouches half-heartedly. He easily sinks down onto the side of the booth across from Merlin and grabs the menu for something to do.

“You’re blushing, Arthur.” Merlin notes, voice almost cracking with laughter. Arthur sinks lower down in his seat, and lifts the menu to cover his red face. He knows he’s blushing, and he knows why, too. He just doesn’t know how to talk to Merlin about it, or if he even should. So, like he has been this whole tine, he simply ignores the feelings he’s quickly acquiring and puts the menu down.

“How was your day off?” He asks, ignoring Merlin’s comment entirely. Merlin studies him from across the table for a moment before shrugging.

“It was boring. I was going to hang out with a friend of mine, but they wouldn’t answer my calls.” He says breezily, a smirk fighting to make its way onto his face. Arthur glares at him.

“Well, maybe your friend had different plans already.” He replies loftily. At this, Merlin let’s out another muffled snort.

“What were you doing, anyway?” Merlin asks curiously. Arthur’s body can’t decide if it wants to blush profusely or pale so much he looks dead. It settles for something in between as he gets flashes of his earlier panic. He’s never told Merlin about these episodes, especially considering they are almost always about _him_.

“I was out with Gwen. She had wanted to meet up for coffee to celebrate exams being over, seeing as she doesn’t drink and refuses to go to the pub with the guys.” He half lies. A shadow flickers across Merlin’s face, and Arthur swears it was _jealousy_.

“Gwen is the one who went to the coffee shop with you that one day?” Merlin clarifies needlessly. Arthur opens his mouth, but doesn’t think of anything to say, so he settles for a mute nod instead.

An uneasy silence settles over the table, and Arthur fidgets uncomfortably. He had already told Merlin, on several occasions actually, that Gwen was just his friend, and that he was single. He couldn’t understand why Merlin cared so much, or why he never seemed to believe him. Thankfully, the waitress chooses that moment to show up. Arthur orders quietly, shooting Merlin a furtive glance as he fingers his menu absentmindedly. Once their orders are written down, she gives them a knowing smile, retrieves their menus, and disappears.

“Merlin,” Arthur starts uneasily, “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that Gwen is only my friend. I promise that I wouldn’t lie about that. What kind of friend, or boyfriend, would that make me?” He looks up, meeting Merlin’s eyes, and silently begging him to just finally believe him. Merlin’s shoulders sag a bit.

“I know. I know. I’m sorry. I just... never mind. Who’s all going out tonight?” Merlin changes subjects, and moods apparently, so quickly that Arthur almost gets whiplash. He blinks stupidly for a moment before rallying his brain.

“I know Leon and Percy will be there for sure. Lance might come, and Gwaine is a maybe. It depends if Perc can convince him or not.” He finally manages to reply. Merlin hums, nodding as he stares down at his fingers fiddling idly with his napkin. “Merlin, are you alright? Is everything okay? If you’re not feeling up to it, I can take you home.” Arthur adds, worry building in his chest as he looks over his friend. Merlin looks up, surprised. He shakes his head.

“I’m fine, I promise. Just tired is all. Those exams took a lot out of me.” He says. He sounds and looks like he’s telling the truth, but Arthur just has a feeling that he’s lying. He just can’t place a finger on _why_.

“Okay. If you’re sure. You know I don’t mind just taking you home.” Arthur offers again. Merlin smiles softly, and some of Arthur’s previous worry eases away.

“I’m fine, Arthur, and I’m sorry. I’ll try to be better company.” Arthur frowns at his words and opens his mouth to protest, but Merlin just waves him off. “Have Gwaine and Percy finally realized they’re in love yet?” He asks, once again changing the subject. Now it’s Arthur’s turn to snort out a laugh.

“No.” He laughs. “Those two idiots are the most oblivious people I have ever met.” He glances off to see if their waitress is bringing their food yet, and in doing so, misses the significant and _longing_ look that Merlin gives him.

“Yes.” Merlins voice brings Arthur’s attention back. “I suppose they are, aren’t they?” Arthur grins at him, flashing his perfectly straight and white teeth.

Not too long after, their waitress appears, settling their plates on the table with a smile. As Merlin looks down, practically salivating, she shots Arthur a discreet wink. He stares after her in surprise. What was with the staff at this place tonight? He quickly gets distracted as Merlin takes an enormous bite of food and moans happily around the mouthful. Arthur once again flushes red, but hides it as he stoops his head to start on his own meal.

They eat is an easy and contented silence, not needing words to fill the space between them. Arthur once again marvels at how _right_ being here with Merlin feels. His heart starts racing at the thought, and for the first tine, he doesn’t immediately banish the thoughts. He lets them settle in his chest, casting out a warmth that fills him all the way to his fingers and toes. He can no longer deny that he feels something more than platonic friendship for Merlin. He can only hope that it doesn’t all explode spectacularly in his face.


	4. Chapter 4

After dinner, Arthur takes Merlin to an ice cream parlour that’s on the way back to his place. He insists on paying, despite having paid for dinner too, and he smiles to himself as he hears Merlin mutter something that sounds suspiciously like _‘prat’_ under his breath. He has a weird rule about not having open food in his car, so they settle on a bench outside, relishing in the warm evening. They sit there in silence, neither one wanting to break whatever easiness has enveloped them. Eventually, Arthur speaks.

“We had better go. We still need to drop my car off at home, then get to the pub.” Merlin nods, standing and gently taking Arthur’s garbage from him to throw in the bin by the parlour’s front door. Arthur’s skin tingles as their fingers brush innocently. He doesn’t push the feeling aside. Instead, he embraces it, watching Merlin walk away from him with a contented smile. He looks away a little too late, blushing as Merlin catches him staring. Neither of them mention it.

The previous silence settles back in as they get back into Arthur’s car, and Arthur starts on his way back to his house. By now, traffic has eased up considerably, and they make good time. So good, in fact, that if they took a cab to the pub now, they’d end up early. Turning to Merlin as he puts his car in park and shuts it off, he voices their options.

“So, we can either go now and be early, stay here even though my father hasn’t left for his business trip yet, or walk.” He watches Merlin as he goes over his options. Eventually, he smiles back.

“Let’s walk. It’s a nice day, and I could use the exercise.” Arthur smiles. He had been hoping Merlin would pick that option. With a nod, he gets out of his car and closes the door. Once Merlin does the same, he locks the doors and starts down the sidewalk. Merlin follows, settling into stride beside him with his hands tucked in his pockets. Arthur has to force himself not to stare.

They make easy conversation as they walk, laughing and playfully shoving each other, lost in their own little world. They don’t notice the other people out around them, or the knowing smiles that get sent their way. Arthur’s heart has been fluttering like mad since they left his car, and Merlin’s bright smiles are doing little to help, damn him.

After about thirty minutes, they finally reach their destination. Merlin hangs back, letting Arthur’s enter first. He’s heard many stories about Arthur’s friends, but hasn’t actually met any of them yet. Arthur senses his hesitation and shoots him a reassuring smile over his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, they’re gonna love you, too.” He says softly, gently wrapping his fingers around Merlin’s wrist and tugging him along behind him. Merlin trips over his own feet, too caught up in the words _‘they’re gonna love you, too’_ to realize that he’s being propelled forward. Arthur merely snorts, rolling his eyes at what he assumes is Merlin’s usual clumsiness. He doesn’t even realize what he’s said until they’re almost at the table where Leon, Lance, and Percy are waiting for them, and by then it’s too late to say anything more on the subject. Not that he knows what he’d say.

A loud cheer goes up around the table as they get spotted, and Arthur momentarily gets distracted. He smiles in greeting, suddenly nervous. He feels Merlin tremble through the wrist he's still clutching tightly too. He clears his throat, and pulls Merlin forcefully up beside him.

“Merlin, this is Leon, Lance, and Percy.” He introduces, gesturing to each in turn. They all wave politely as their name is said. “Guys, this is Merlin.” He then gestures to the man beside him. There’s a chorus of _‘hello’_ s around the table as Arthur and Merlin slide into chairs, side by side.

“Where’s Gwaine?” Arthur asks, shooting Percy a discreet look. The other man blushes slightly, but smiles good-naturedly all the same.

“He’s coming. Just running a little late.” Percy replies. Arthur shares a grin with Merlin beside him.

“So, Merlin,” Leon says, “are you the one that’s been making our usually stoic Pendragon here all smiley?” Merlin looks up, shocked, as Arthur shoots Leon a glare.

“I, uhm, I don’t really know.” Merlin falters, unsure how to answer.

“Well, I’m assuming your the one he’s been spending all his time with. The little bugger has been bailing on us non-stop for the last two weeks.” Lance adds, giving Arthur a gleeful and sadistic smirk. Arthur shifts his glare to him instead, praying that his face isn’t as red as it feels. The look on Lance’s face says that it is. He shifts his eyes to Merlin instead, and finds him already looking back. His face is unreadable, and it’s making Arthur feel queasy.

“Right.” He absolutely _does not_ wheeze. “How about some drinks?” He once again grabs Merlin’s wrist and pulls him out of his chair, dragging him away from the table and toward the bar as raucous laughs follow them. It’s not until they’re waiting to order something that Merlin pipes up.

“Arthur, have you really been blowing off your friends to spend time with me?” Arthur can feel his face flush red _again_ as he turns his head to look at Merlin. His friend’s face is open and vulnerable, but unsure. He softens slightly at the sight.

“Yeah.” He says simply. Merlin doesn’t get a chance to question him further, as the bartender finally stops in front of them. Arthur doesn’t think he’s ever been so happy to be interrupted by a total stranger.

“What’ll ya have?” The slightly bald, and intimidating as all hell, man asks.

“I’ll have a beer, and he’ll have...” Arthur trails off and looks over Merlin’s face. “He’ll have the fruitiest drink on the menu.” The man nods, eyes flicking between the two of them before turning to fill their order. The bottle of beer is placed on the counter first, and Arthur grabs it and promptly swallows a gulp of it down. Something purple comes next, the man smiling as he plonks a little umbrella into it. Arthur laughs, choking on his drink and nearly having it come out his nose. The bartender winks with amusement before heading off down the bar.

Merlin shoots Arthur a glare, but there’s little heat behind it. Reluctantly, he reaches out to grab the glass, taking a tentative sip. He thinks it over for a moment before humming appreciatively.

“I have to say, Arthur, this was a good choice.” He says. “Probably much better than the piss you're drinking.” He grins as Arthur smothers another laugh.

“Shut up, Merlin. Let’s go.” He once again latches onto Merlin’s wrist, keeping him close unnecessarily as they make their way through the crowded pub to their table. In the time that they’ve been gone, Gwaine has arrived. He looks up with an amused grin as they approach.

“So, this is the Merlin that the lads have been filling me in on.” He says, looking Merlin over. A feeling of possessiveness jolts through Arthur, and he steps closer to Merlin, leaving them all but pressed together from shoulder to foot. Gwaine meets Arthur’s eyes and winks gaudily, turning back to whisper something to Percy beside him. Percy snorts, and has to cover his mouth to prevent himself from spewing beer across the table. Arthur eyes them suspiciously as he sits back down. He shifts his chair closer to Merlin’s without realizing it.

Their attention shifts to other things fairly quickly, and Arthur feels himself relaxing. He gets a rush of gratitude as his friends make every effort to talk to Merlin and include him even though they only just met him today. Merlin starts off a little shy, something that Arthur isn’t used to, or expecting, but soon comes out of his shell and is laughing along with the rest of them. Arthur catches himself a few times just looking at him and marvelling at how beautiful he looks like that, eyes lit up with laughter. He makes sure to look away before getting caught each time.

“So, how exactly did you two meet?” Percy asks, gesturing between Arthur and Merlin. Arthur smirks as Merlin flushes a deep shade of red.

“He served me coffee.” Arthur says, glancing at Merlin beside him. “I thought he was gonna faint when he looked up and saw me.” He adds with a laugh.

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Merlin pipes up. “I can’t help it if I thought you were just too ghastly to look at.” The other four men at the table roar with laughter at Merlin’s insult as Arthur just smiles fondly at him.

“And I can’t help it if it was the best damn latte I’ve ever had.” Arthur let’s slip out loud. The snickering around them dies down as everyone stares at Arthur in surprise. He clears his throat awkwardly, shifting his eyes to his beer bottle.

“Anyway,” he continues, a little flustered, “I literally ran into him the next day at school, and as an apology for knocking me on my ass and making me late, he helped me study.” Once again Merlin laughs beside him.

“I’m pretty sure we knocked each other down, but we can go with your story if it makes you feel better. Prat.” He grins back at Arthur as Arthur shoves him. He catches himself on the table before he can fall into Leon, and the whole group chuckles again.

“Sounds very romantic.” Lance pipes up, earning himself a glare from Arthur. It doesn’t faze him, as he merely shrugs in response and lifts his beer to his lips. Arthur is suddenly reminded that his bottle is empty.

“I’m going to get another drink.” He announces, sliding to his feet.

“And I have to pee.” Merlin says bluntly, also getting to his feet. The other four give them obvious looks before they split ways to head to the bar and the bathroom. Once he figures that he’s out of sight, Arthur changes course, instead heading for the back entrance, intent on getting some fresh air. He pushes outside, and takes a deep breath, but pulls up short as he catches sight of Merlin leaning against the wall a few metres away.

“I thought you were peeing?” He says. Merlin quirks an eyebrow.

“I thought you were getting another drink.” He counters. Arthur laughs softly.

“Touché.” He replies, slowly approaching Merlin and leaning against the wall beside him.

“It was just getting a little hot and stuffy in there.” Merlin says after a moment. Arthur nods in agreement, knowing too well what Merlin means. The cool air is helping to soothe the red flush on his cheeks. They stay in silence like that for a few more minutes, the quiet helping to ease the soft ache Arthur was starting to get in his head. He’s thankful for the brief reprieve.

“Arthur.” Merlin finally pipes up. Arthur hums, turning his head to look in Merlin’s direction. Merlin bites his lip uncertainly.

“What is it, Merlin?” He asks softly, not enjoying the slightly scared look in his friend’s eyes. Merlin stays quiet for another moment before heaving a sigh.

“Was dinner earlier a date? And the ice cream after?” He finally asks in a rush, cheeks colouring pink. Arthur stares at him wide-eyed.

“Did...” He stops to clear his throat. “Did you want it to be?” He forces himself to ask. Merlin chews on his lip again as he drops his eyes to the pavement under their feet. He shrugs, then nods.

“Kind of, yeah.” He breathes so quietly that Arthur nearly misses the words. Something tugs in his chest. He carefully thinks over his answer, looking deep within himself to figure out what it is he truly wants here. He almost smiles when he thinks that Gwen would be proud of him.

“No.” He says finally, and Merlin stills beside him, face going pale. He almost smiles before continuing. “But only because I want our first official date to be better than a dinner filled with tense misunderstandings and some half runny dairy products after. I want our first date to be something you remember for the rest of your life. I want to sweep you off your feet so perfectly that I ruin you for everyone else. Our first date is going to be so special, so magical, that you’ll want it to be the last first date you ever have.”

Arthur’s voice has dropped to a mere whisper by the time he’s done talking. He isn’t too sure where the words came from, but they slipped unbidden from his tongue, and he finds that he believes them with his entire being. He just hopes that Merlin doesn’t find them clingy and creepy.

Merlin, meanwhile, is staring at him, speechless with wonder filled eyes. He wants to reply, but can’t think of anything that would come close to measuring up to what Arthur just said to him. No one has ever said such things to him before, and he honestly doesn’t know what to do with them.

“Do you really mean that?” He asks, voice soft enough that the words hang in the air between them. Arthur looks back at him with sincere eyes as he nods, heart threatening to beat right out of his chest. He watches Merlin tensely, only relaxing as he starts to smile. As his grin grows, so does Arthur’s sudden urge, sudden _need_ , to kiss him.

Lifting a hand, he reaches out and gently caresses Merlin’s cheek, body buzzing as Merlin leans into the touch. He closes his eyes as he turns into Arthur’s hand, nuzzling his palm before kissing it gently. That sets Arthur’s heart rate off faster, and he can hear his blood roaring in his ears as Merlin’s eyes open again and he looks back up into Arthur’s face. Arthur let’s out a shaky breath as he shifts his body away from the wall slightly, pulling his shoulders off so he can twist and better face Merlin as he guides his chin up closer.

The world around them disappears as their lips meet softly. _Finally_. Arthur’s breath hitches as Merlin kisses back, hands slowly sliding around his waist. Arthur has had his fair share of kisses, but none of them have set off fireworks in his head before. None of them have started a buzzing in his blood that both excites and soothes him at the same time. None of them have been with Merlin.

He pulls back after a moment, keeping the kiss tender and chaste. Merlin’s eyes flutter open as Arthur’s mouth pulls away, but he doesn’t go far. They’re close enough that Merlin’s heavy breath is fanning across his lips, and the feeling is starting a fire in his belly. He briefly makes eye contact with Merlin before diving back in. He gracefully pushes off of the wall, pivoting until he’s pressed against Merlin’s front, Merlin’s back firmly against the wall.

Merlin is hot and pliant under his touch, readily opening up for him as he dives in deeper. They both groan helplessly as their tongues tangle in Merlin’s mouth. Arthur loses his breath as Merlin slips his fingers under his belt and tugs him somehow closer. His hands, bracketing either side of Merlin’s head and boxing him in completely, move to tangle in Merlin’s hair, tugging just enough to make Merlin whimper in the best way possible.

He can feel them both getting aroused, and reluctantly pulls away. This is neither the time, nor the place. He does press one more lingering kiss to Merlin’s swollen and tantalizing lips before pulling away completely. He knows they must both look absolutely wrecked, but he finds that he doesn’t really care. Instead, he reaches down to tangle his fingers with Merlin’s, giving him a soft and affectionate smile. His heart sings as he gets one in return.

“We should probably head back inside. The others are bound to be getting suspicious by now.” Arthur says, wanting nothing more than to press Merlin back against the wall and kiss him stupid. Merlin bursts out laughing at his words, lifting his free hand up to rest on Arthur’s chest, right over his heart.

“If they are, then we’re only going to be confirming them. There’s no way we can lie about this.” He says with a grin. Arthur looks back at him, face smiling but eyes serious.

“It’s a good thing I don’t really want to lie about this then.” He says, making Merlin stop and look up into his eyes with adoration.

“Good. Cause I didn’t really want to either.” He murmurs. Arthur presses one more soft kiss to his lips before leading them back to the door. Their fingers stay tangled together as they head inside and weave through the even thicker crowd on their way to their friends. The other four notice them returning, and if Arthur and Merlin notice them grudgingly pulling out their wallets and passing around money, neither one comments on it.

The night proceeds much the same as it had before, only Arthur sits closer to Merlin and rests a hand on his thigh under the table, keen to keep touching him now that he feels like he has permission to. Merlin has his arm looped around Arthur’s, hand loosely circled around his wrist, having no intention of making him move. The others ignore their frequent love-sick looks, and quick, chaste kisses. They’re just happy that Arthur has finally seemed to have lost the stick up his ass.

As the night draws to a close, the group slowly disperses. Arthur and Merlin head out together. The night is still mild, and they’re in a safe part of town, so they decide to walk back to Arthur’s place.

“Are you sure you want me crashing at your place?” Merlin asks for the umpteenth time as they turn onto Arthur’s street. Arthur rolls his eyes and shoves Merlin’s shoulder, making him stumble away only to tug him back into his side a second later.

“Yes, Merlin, it’s fine. You drank more than you were expecting, and I’d honestly feel better if I can keep an eye on you.” Arthur says, tone hinting at exasperation. They had been going back and forth like this the entire walk.

“I’m not _that_ drunk.” Merlin mumbles under his breath. Arthur laughs softly, trying to stay quiet enough to avoid waking the neighbours.

“I know.” He replies airily. “I just want an excuse to hold you in my arms as I fall asleep.” He smiles in triumph as Merlin ducks his head, blushing bashfully. He pulls Merlin to a stop and kisses him languidly. When they separate, he’s looking at Merlin with humour filled eyes.

“Didn’t I tell you that I didn’t mind trying to get you all flustered again?” He asks cheekily, remembering what he had said back when they had first really met. Merlin blushes harder and shoves his shoulder.

“Shut up.” He giggles. Honest to god _giggles_. “You’re a prat, you know that?” He adds, trying to control himself. It’s proving to be a difficult task.

“You may have mentioned that once or twice.” Arthur replies with a grin. He starts walking again, swinging their linked hands between them. He feels light as air, like an unknown weight that had been holding him down has suddenly been lifted from his shoulders. He glances over at the man beside him and smiles to himself. His father will be furious, but he’s finding that he doesn’t really care. The thought of his father disapproving of this development no longer scares him. He doesn’t even feel a vague need to apologize for it.

When they’re both finally curled up in bed, Arthur on his back and Merlin wrapped around him like an octopus, Arthur’s heart finally settles. Nothing has ever felt this blissfully perfect in his life, and he refuses to ever let anything or anyone take it away from him. Merlin’s snuffled breath against his neck makes him smile. He shuts his eyes contentedly, and merely gets lost in the feelings this boy has stirred up.

**Author's Note:**

> I am officially now on tumblr! I suck at technology, so you’ll just have to go the old fashioned way of looking up: messandahalf10 😂


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